Welcome to Week 6 of the college football season. Last week brought two huge upsets as Oregon and Florida fell to unranked conference foes. We could have another major contender fall this week as Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Georgia, Penn State, and Iowa have looming matchups that could change the landscape of the nation.
An early playoff-hopeful who has since fallen off with two losses is UCLA. Even if they’re already out of the final four pictures, Chip Kelly has this program relevant and fun to watch. Their matchup with Arizona doesn’t look like a particularly close one but the line is intriguing.
Both teams have an interesting betting profile for us to consider as we preview how they stack up. We have you covered from every angle of this matchup. Let’s dig in.
Saturday, October 09, 2021 – 10:30 PM EDT at Arizona Stadium
Here is a look at the Week 6 betting odds between UCLA and Arizona odds courtesy of BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Here’s a look at the preview between UCLA and Arizona for Week 6.
This is one of the worst units in the country. Ranking 123rd in the country in scoring and 114th in rushing, the Wildcats are truly a mess. Their quarterback room features Will Plummer, Gunner Cruz, and Jordan McCloud, and all three have been ineffective.
Head coach Jedd Fisch simply lacks reliable playmakers. Leading rusher Drake Anderson and receiver Stanley Berryhill III have decent enough raw numbers but neither brings the explosive skill set needed to elevate the unit. Their best hope this week is for UCLA to have coverage breakdowns.
UCLA’s defense is shockingly 128th against the pass. Their pass rush and young secondary simply have embarrassed the program far too many times. There’s no reason this trend should continue considering the improved recruiting over the last two seasons.
For this game to cover, the UCLA offense has to be as sharp as they were earlier in the season. Their explosiveness has dipped a bit against better competition, and while Arizona offers very little resistance, we’re more concerned about covering. With an average of 203 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carrying, the Bruins can simply rely on their dynamic trio of ball carriers to win.
A cover might require a bit more effort. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has quickly dropped in efficiency as the season has progressed. His accuracy has become an issue and the Bruins cannot rely on him to create plays anymore.
Arizona has the 19th-ranked passing defense mostly because teams are killing them on the ground. UCLA should make a point to refine their passing game while they can in this glorified scrimmage.
UCLA has covered six of their last nine games against Arizona and has won seven of those matchups. Five of their last seven games overall have seen the total go over.
Arizona has lost 10 straight games and covered just four of their last 16 games. They’ve hit the under in eight of their last 12 matchups.
UCLA will dominate this matchup. Arizona’s passing offense will find some big opportunities and they’ll need to take advantage to cover. Unfortunately, they possess one of the worst offenses in the country and have shown no reason for us to take them to cover.
NCAAF Pick: UCLA -16.5 (-108) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.